This invention relates to rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus in which a mass of heat absorbent material commonly comprised of packed element plates is positioned in a passageway to absorb heat from hot gases passing therethrough. After the plates become heated by the hot gas they are moved into a cool air passageway where the heated plates transmit their absorbed heat to the cool air flowing therethrough. The heat absorbent element is carried in adjacent compartments that comprise an annular layer around the rotor post, while a plurality of axially spaced layers of element with a sealing arrangement therebetween comprise a rotor having a predetermined heat absorbing capacity.